The donkey burger (Chinese: 驴肉火烧; pinyin: wǘròu huǒshāo) is a kind of sandwich commonwy eaten in Baoding and Hejian, Hebei Province, China,[1][2] where it is considered a wocaw speciawty, dough it may awso be found in oder parts of China, particuwarwy in nordeastern China.[1][3] Chopped or shredded donkey meat or offaw is pwaced widin a huǒshāo or shao bing, a roasted, semi-fwaky bread pocket,[1] and eaten as a snack or as part of a meaw. Hejian stywe typicawwy serves de meat cowd in a warm huoshao whiwe Baoding stywe serves de meat hot, dey bof often incwude green chiwi-pepper[1] and ciwantro weaves. Donkey burger is a popuwar street food[3] and can awso be found on de menus of high-end restaurants.

Donkey burgers have been traced to de Ming Dynasty.[1] According to wegend, de miwitary of Yongwe Emperor had noding to eat, so sowdiers began to kiww and eat deir horses. The wocaw peopwe den awso began to eat horse meat; however, since horses were a vawuabwe resource, common peopwe substituted donkey meat and considered it tastier.[citation needed]

Donkey burgers became popuwar towards de end of de Qing dynasty after de Beijing-Hankou raiwway wine was buiwt, as donkeys were no wonger needed to transport goods in and out of Beijing. When departing from Beijing, Baoding is de first major city on de Beijing-Hankou raiwroad. The traditionaw freight industry was hit particuwarwy hard dere, and as a resuwt, donkey burgers became most popuwar in Baoding.[citation needed]